Low profile adjustable hanger device and system

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure describes and teaches a low cost, lightweight adjustable hanger and system that can be used in conjunction with any number of hangable objects. The adjustable hanger includes a hanger as the uppermost portion of the device. The mounting bracket of the adjustable hanger is attached to a wall with adhesives or mechanical means such as nails or screws. Once secured, the adjuster can be manipulated to cause the hanging and positioning bracket to move up or down depending on the user&#39;s preference. Once the proper height is reached, a hangable object is hung from a hanging portion of the adjustable hanger. In some instances, multiple adjustable hangers may be used to precisely position a single hangable object.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/971,883, filed Mar. 28, 2014, thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention generally relates to hangers, namely hangersthat can be employed to receive and support a variety of objects. Inparticular, the present invention relates to a device and system for alow profile adjustable hanger enabling precision placement and hangingof the user's desired object to be hung.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The hanging of objects, such as pictures, mirrors, and the like, istypically accomplished through the use of a stationary metal hook havinga vertical shank with a nail holder at the top of the shank that affixesthe shank to the wall. The nail holder permits a nail to be driven intothe wall thereby securing the metal hook in place. In order to obtainthe exact desired position of the object (e.g. with respect to adjacenthanging objects or fixed objects on a wall) a precise alignment of thehanger is required. For example, when hanging two or more framedpictures side by side, or other objects such as mirrors or other piecesof art, precise alignment, either vertically or horizontally, of thepictures is required for aesthetic reasons. When a misalignment occurs,it is often necessary to remove and reposition the hook(s), therebycreating a new hole(s) and leaving an unsightly empty hole(s) in thewall. When hanging an object that, due to factors such as weight andwidth, requires multiple hangers, alignment may be even more problematicthan an object requiring only a single hanger. Based on the foregoing,it should be apparent that adjustment of the position of conventionalhanging devices may be cumbersome, inconvenient, prone to error, andtime consuming.

In addition, many pictures and frames are now being constructed usingsaw tooth brackets, eyelet hardware, slots or pre-drilled holes whichare almost always at the top of the frame. Some high profile hooks areconstructed with a stationary nail at the top and a hanging mechanism atthe bottom. The use of such hooks with frames having top-orientedhardware results in the hooks being seen above the frame. This is aresult of the overall size of the hook being larger than the minuteclearance between the top of the frame hardware and the top of thephysical frame. Further, existing adjustable hangers can includemulti-component mechanisms that are complicated to use and are costly toproduce. U.S. Pat. No. 7,686,273, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference herein, describes a method and device for anadjustable hanger. Thus, there is a need for an adjustable hanger devicethat is easier to use and less costly to produce than existing hangers.Additionally, there is a need for an adjustable hanger that will notprotrude above the frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches and describes an adjustable hanger forvariably positioning a hanging object on a vertical surface that can befastened to a wall or other vertical surface or that can employ amounting bracket with a first end above a second end in a verticalorientation; a positioning bracket adjustably connected to the mountingbracket and having a hanger for hanging objects, the positioning bracketbeing vertically adjustable with respect to the mounting bracket suchthat the hanger extends above the first end of the mounting bracket in avertical orientation.

The adjustable hanger according to one aspect of the disclosuredesirably includes a hanger as the uppermost part of the adjustablehanger. The hanger may include a wire receiving seat having at least onewing and at least one protrusion to maintain a hanging mechanism of anobject in the wire receiving seat. The adjustable hanger according toanother aspect of the disclosure includes a second hanger on thepositioning bracket.

The adjustable hanger according to one aspect of the disclosure may beattached to the first surface with an adhesive, a fastening member, orboth. In some embodiments, the mounting bracket has at least onemounting hole that is used for receiving a fastening member. Thefastening member can be at least one of a screw, nail, rivet, bolt,tack, and pin or any combination thereof. The mounting bracket can havea channel to receive a positioning bracket with a blocking element at anend of the channel. An adjuster which can be manipulated to change theposition of the positioning bracket relative to the mounting bracket mayabut the blocking element. A flexible tool is preferably provided withthe adjustable hanger and can be used to manipulate the adjuster.

The adjustable hanger may have at least one fastener opening in eitherthe top half or bottom half of the length of the mounting bracket. Thefastener opening may be located in a channel, behind the verticaladjuster or behind the positioning bracket. In one embodiment, theadjustable hanger may be vertically adjusted either up or down. Inanother embodiment, the adjustable hanger may be horizontallyadjustable.

The adjustable hanger may also have at least one measuring elementintegrated with the positioning bracket and mounting bracket. Themeasuring element is preferably used to provide a visual cue to the userto determine how the hanger should be adjusted or has been adjusted. Themeasuring element may have incremental markings on a scale of sixteenthsof an inch, eighths of an inch, etc. There may be incremental marks onopposing sides of the hanging and positioning bracket that combine suchscales.

An adjustable hanger according to one embodiment of the disclosuredesirably includes a mounting bracket with a first end above a secondend in a vertical orientation with an opening between the first andsecond end. An anchor may extend through the opening into a verticalsurface. A positioning bracket, which is preferably adjustably connectedto the mounting bracket, can have a hanger for hanging objects extendingabove the first end of the mounting bracket in a vertical orientation.The positioning bracket can be vertically adjustable with respect to themounting bracket when the mounting bracket is in a vertical orientationor horizontally adjustable in a horizontal orientation. The anchor canabut an adjuster which can be manipulated to adjust the position of thepositioning bracket with respect to the mounting bracket. One aspect ofthe disclosure includes the hanger as the uppermost part of theadjustable hanging device and can have an aperture extending through thehanger to allow a tool to couple to the adjuster. In one embodiment, theadjustable hanger can also have an anti-rotation member extendingthrough a slot in the positioning bracket. The anti-rotation member maybe positioned above the anchor and prevent the mounting bracket fromrotating when an object is hung on the hanger. The positioning bracketmay remain adjustable in a vertical direction after the anti-rotationmember is inserted through the slot. The anchor according to one aspectof the disclosure includes a collar abutting the adjuster.

A method of mounting an object on a vertical surface according to oneaspect of the disclosure preferably includes securing a mounting bracketto the vertical surface, coupling a positioning bracket to the mountingbracket, and hanging an object on a hanger. The mounting bracketpreferably has a first end above a second end in a vertical orientation.The positioning bracket can be adjustable with respect to the mountingbracket such that the hanger extends above the first end of the mountingbracket in a vertical orientation. Securing the mounting bracket to thevertical surface may include using a removable adhesive and mayadditionally include using an anchor to secure the mounting bracket tothe vertical surface. The removable adhesive preferably allows a user toremove the mounting bracket from the vertical surface withoutpermanently damaging the surface, reposition the mounting bracket, andemploy the same removable, or new, adhesive to re-secure the mountingbracket to the vertical surface. In one embodiment, a method of mountingan object to a vertical surface further includes placing the hangingmechanism on a wire receiving seat of the positioning bracket. Themethod may include use a flexible tool to change the position of thepositioning bracket with respect of the mounting bracket.

An adjustable hanger kit according to one aspect of the disclosure caninclude any number of mounting brackets and positioning brackets thatcan be used with one another. A flexible tool or tools may be includedin the kit as well. In one aspect of the present invention thesecomponents—the brackets and tools or any combination of them—arefrangibly connected to one another so that a user can easily snap offwhatever component is needed. A preferred embodiment of the kit mayinclude two or five mounting brackets and two or five positioningbrackets. The kit desirably contains a fastening member, an adhesive, orboth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the primary components of a hanger inaccordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hanger in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the hanger in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the hanger in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the hanger of FIG. 1 in cross-section,illustrating a manner of securing the hanger to a first surface.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 1 in cross-section,illustrating the internal assembled relationship between the componentsof the hanger.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a hanger in accordance with a secondembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hanger shown in FIG. 7 in a fullyassembled form.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 7 in cross-section,illustrating the internal relationship between the components of thehanger.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a kit including the components of ahanger in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a front view of the kit of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a top view of the kit of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be describedwith reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the variousfigures are identified, to the extent possible, with the same referencenumerals. The preferred embodiments are disclosed to provide context forthe claimed present invention, which is not limited by such embodiments.In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon readingthe present specification and viewing the present drawings that variousmodifications and variations can be made thereto without deviating fromthe innovative concepts of the invention. The terms “a” and “an” as usedherein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote thepresence of at least one of the referenced items.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is an exploded view of the primarycomponents of the adjustable hanger 100. Generally, the adjustablehanger 100 has a mounting bracket 102, a hanging and positioning bracket104, an adjuster 106 in the form of a threaded screw, and fasteningmembers 114. Also illustrated is a fastening adhesive 110. The mountingbracket 102 secures the adjustable hanger 100 to the first surface 200(see FIG. 5). The illustrated mounting bracket 102 includes fasteneropenings 112 that extend through the mounting bracket 102. The fasteningmembers 114 can pass through the fastener openings 112 thereby securingthe mounting bracket 102 to the desired surface. The fastening members114 may comprise one or any number of various fasteners, including ascrew, nail, rivet, bolt, tack, or pin or any combination thereof.

Depending on the specifications (e.g. size, weight,) of the adjustablehanger 100 and the desired object to be hung, the adjustable hanger 100may alternately or further employ an adhesive 110 for securing purposes.The adhesive 110 may be used alone or in combination with, fasteningmembers 114. Both fastening members 114 and an adhesive 110 may beprovided so that a choice could be made at the time of use. The adhesivemay also be conveniently used to position the hanger 100 before thefastening members 114 are used. The adhesive 110 is preferably aremovable adhesive such as the type manufactured by 3M of Saint Paul,Minn. Other adhesives are also contemplated such as glue, double-sidedtape, etc.

The mounting bracket 102 has a portion 108 that extends from the basalarea of the mounting bracket 102. This portion 108 serves as a guide andsecuring mechanism for the hanging and positioning bracket 104. Further,the mounting bracket 102 has a blocking element 116. The blockingelement 116 provides a contact and support surface for the adjuster 106.

The hanging and positioning bracket 104 slidably engages and secures tothe mounting bracket 102. The hanging and positioning bracket 104 has afirst end 101 and a second end 103. It is intended that the leading end,or first end 101, of the hanging and positioning bracket 104 firstengages the portion 108 of the mounting bracket 102 while the trailingend, or second end 103, follows. The hanging and positioning bracket 104provides at least one hanging portion 118 (see FIG. 2). A threadedadjuster 106 passes vertically through the hanging and positioningbracket 104. There is a first end 105 and a second end 107 of theadjuster 106. The second end 107 of the adjuster 106 abuts the blockingelement 116. The first end 105 of the adjuster 106 provides thestructure that enables mechanical adjustment, in this case verticaladjustment, of the positioning bracket 104 with respect to the mountingbracket 102. Of course, in other orientations, the adjuster couldprovide adjustment in directions other than vertical, for example,horizontal. Other expedients for adjusting these components with respectto one another may be employed, such as a ratchet and pawl arrangement.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable hanger 100 as assembled.Here, the interaction between the various components is shown. In thisinstance, the mounting bracket 102 is shown with an adhesive 110backing. Further, there are two fastener openings 112 shown withfastening members 114 extending therethrough.

The hanging and positioning bracket 104 is engaged and secured to themounting bracket 102 via the protruding portion 108 (see FIG. 1). Morespecifically, the portion 108 comprises a first rail 109 and a secondrail 111. The first rail 109 and the second rail 111 engage a first andsecond side of the hanging and positioning bracket 104, respectively.When viewed from the top, the rails 109, 111 generally form a “C” shapewith the basal area of the mounting bracket 102. Further, each of therails 109, 111 tapers as they traverse the length of the mountingbracket 102. This enables a more secure fit for the hanging andpositioning bracket 104, which limits any movement thereof transverse tothe axis of adjustment. The outside edge of the rails 109, 111 have areinforcing feature, for example, ribbing or ribs 124 struts, or thelike. The ribs 124 serve to strengthen the rails 109, 111 and preventdamage resulting from torqueing, impacting, shearing, or otherundesirable forces being applied to said rails 109, 111.

A surface of one or both of the rails 109, 111 may have a measuringelement 120 such as a visual marker. The measuring element 120 may havemarkers signifying incremental measurements such as sixteenths of aninch or eighths of an inch or the rail 109, 111 may have equidistantmarkers. Each rail 109, 111 may have its own incremental measure suchas, for example, the first rail 109 having markings signifyingsixteenths of an inch, whereas the second rail 111 has markingssignifying eighths of an inch. While reference is made to specificmarkings and incremental measurements, virtually any measuring guide orunits of measurement may be used.

The adjuster 106 extends through the hanging and positioning bracket104, in this case vertically. The adjuster 106 is used to change theposition of the first hanging portion 118 and the second hanging portion122 with respect to the mounting bracket 102. Each of the hangingportions 118, 122 has any number of protrusions 126 that are used tosecurely position and retain the hanging mechanism such as a wire,cable, hook, string, or bracket or the like of the object to be hung.Each of the hanging portions 118, 122 are generally hook shaped,although their exact specifications may vary. Further, within a singleadjustable hanger 100, the first hanging portion 118 may vary in shapeand function from the second hanging portion 122.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the adjustable hanger 100. The generalsymmetry of the adjustable hanger 100 is shown. This further providesfor strength, stability, and equal weight distribution, thereby aidingin keeping the adjustable hanger 100 in its intended position oncesecured. However, other embodiments having a non-symmetricalconfiguration are also contemplated.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is a top view of the adjustable hanger100. Visible are the mounting bracket 102 and the hanging andpositioning bracket 104. Fastening members 114 extend through themounting bracket 102 for securement purposes. The adhesive backing 110provides further stability and support for the hanger 100.

Looking through the first hanging portion 118, the adjuster 106 isvisible. The first hanging portion 118 has an aperture 128 that providesaccess through the first hanging portion 118 to the adjuster 106. Theadjuster 106 is manipulated therethrough using a tool such as a screwdriver, Allen wrench, or a tool 130 provided with the hanger 100. Thespecific tool required will depend on the specifications of the adjuster106. With this tool, the adjuster 106 may be rotated either clockwise orcounterclockwise, thereby changing the position of the hanging andpositioning bracket 104 relative to the mounting bracket 102.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the adjustable hanger 100 incross-section. The adjustable hanger 100 is secured to a first surface200. The first surface 200 may be a number of generally verticalsurfaces such as a wall in a home or office. While is it envisioned thatthe first surface 200 will adhere to these specifications, virtually anysurface capable of receiving the adjustable hanger 100 may be used.

Here, the mounting bracket 102 is secured to the first surface 200 viathe adhesive 110 and/or at least one fastening member 114. The fasteningmembers 114 are shown passing through the mounting hole 112 andpenetrating the first surface 200 to provide support for the adjustablehanger 100. Additionally, the mounting hole 112, and therefore thefastening member 114, is shown having a non-perpendicular orientationwith respect to the adjustable hanger 100/first surface 200 interface.This orientation of the fastening member 114 provides added support andfurther helps to retain the precise position of the adjustable hanger100. The orientation of the fastener openings 112 and the depth ofpenetration of the fastening members 114 in the first surface 200 willvary depending on the composition of the first surface 200 as well asthe weight of the object to be hung. The fastener openings can belocated in a top half or bottom half of the length of the mountingbracket. The fastener openings can also be located behind the verticaladjuster, in the channel, or behind the positioning bracket.

Further, this view supplies a more comprehensive view of the firsthanging portion 118 and the second hanging portion 122. Each of thehanging portions 118, 122 can receive and support a number of hangingmechanisms found on hung objects such as strings, wires, cables,brackets, hooks, and the like. The first hanging portion 118 and thesecond hanging portion 122 may structurally be independently the same ordifferent within the same adjustable hanger 100. There are any number ofprotrusions 126 that make up the structural foundation of the hangingportions 118, 122. For example, the second hanging portion 122 isgenerally hook shaped. The protrusion 126 curls upward providing a gapbetween the hanging and positioning bracket 104 and the second hangingportion 122 to retain a hanging mechanism. One skilled in the art wouldrecognize the protrusions could be oriented in any direction to retain ahanging mechanism while the adjustable hanger is oriented other thanvertically. By way of example, the adjustable hanger could be orientedso the adjuster changes the position of the positioning bracket withrespect to the mounting bracket in a horizontal direction.

The first hanging portion 118 has a number of protrusions 126 that bearsimilar functionality to, but comprises a different general shape than,that of second hanging portion 122. The first hanging portion 118 isshaped to retain the intended hanging mechanism and prevent any slippageof the hung object. As previously noted, the shapes of the hangingportions 118, 122 shown and described are of but one of an almostlimitless pool of combinations, shapes, and sizes.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is a perspective view, down the midlineof the adjustable hanger 100 in cross-section, illustrating the internalrelationship between components of the hanger.

The adjuster 106 along with both the first end 105 and the second end107 of the adjuster 106 are readily visible in FIG. 6. The second end107 of the adjuster 106 abuts the blocking element 116 of the mountingbracket 102. As shown, the adjuster 106 has threading which, whenrotated about its central axis, causes the hanging and positioningbracket 104 to move upwards or downwards. However, as discussedpreviously, other expedients may be employed in the adjuster 106 such asa ball and detent structure. The first end 105 of the adjuster 106 canbe accessed via the aperture 128. The measuring element 120, disposedalong one or both rails 109, 111, is used as a visual guide as to howfar the hanging and positioning bracket 104 has been moved upwards ordownwards. Thus, if one must move the hanging portion 118, 122 upone-eighth of an inch and the measuring element 120 is marked inincremental one-eighth inch marks, a user simply moves the measuringsurface 130 of the hanging and positioning bracket 104 up one mark byrotating the adjuster 106.

Also shown is the mounting bracket 102 with the adhesive 110 and atleast one fastening member 114 extending through the mounting hole 112.Some of the ribs 124, which may be made from the same or differentmaterial from the rest of the adjustable hanger 100, are visible belowthe measuring element 120 in FIG. 6. At the first end 101 of the hangingand positioning bracket 104, there is a second hanging portion 122 onwhich a hanging mechanism may be retained and supported. On the opposingsecond end 103, there is a first hanging portion 118. Each of thehanging portions 118, 122 has protrusions 126 which comprise thestructural foundation of the hanging portions 118, 122. Hanging portion118 is shown having a wire receiving seat on the upper surface of thehanging and positioning bracket 104. The wire receiving seat can be asurface to hold a wire with protrusions 126 to prevent dislodgement ofthe wire from the wire receiving seat. The wire receiving seat can alsohave wings to prevent the wire from slipping between the adjustablehanger 100 and the vertical surface. Although the hanging portions 118,122 are shown at the ends 101, 103 respectively, any one of the hangingportions could be positioned anywhere along the mounting and positioningbracket 104. In the disclosed embodiments, the wings are shown at end103, but may be positioned elsewhere near that end.

FIG. 7 illustrates a hanger in accordance with a second embodiment ofthe present invention. As shown, the adjustable hanger 100 primarilycomprises a mounting and positioning bracket 104. The mounting andpositioning bracket 104 has a first end 101 and a second end 103. On thesecond end 103 of the mounting and positioning bracket 104 there is afirst hanging portion 118. On the first end 101 of the mounting andpositioning bracket 104 there is a second hanging portion 122. Each ofthe hanging portions 118, 122 are capable of receiving and supportingany number of hangable objects. The mounting and positioning bracket 104has any number of apertures 128 that allow access to various parts ofthe adjustable hanger 100.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the adjustable hanger 100 shown in FIG.7 in a fully assembled form. The adjustable hanger 100 is shown having ahanging and positioning bracket 104 with an adjuster 106 threadablyengaged thereto. Fastening members 114 are used to hold the hanging andpositioning bracket 104 in place. The fastening members 114 are insertedthrough apertures 128 in the structure of the hanging and positioningbracket 104. It is preferable to have an anchor screw or fasteningmember 114 towards the first end 101 of the hanging and positioningbracket 104 and an anti-rotation screw or fastening member 114 towardthe second end 103 of the hanging and positioning bracket 104.Positioning the fastening members 114 adjacent the first end 101 andsecond end 103 provides stability and prevents rotation of the hangingand positioning bracket 104 and thus the adjustable hanger 100. Theanchor screw can also have a collar which provides support for theadjuster 106.

The adjustable hanger 100 shown in FIG. 8 preferably has a first hangingportion 118 and a second hanging portion 122. This enables a greaterlatitude of adjustable distances to be used in hanging a hangableobject, as well as enabling the adjustable hanger 100 to accommodate twodifferent hangable objects at the same time if so desired. Of course,the mounting and positioning bracket 104 could also incorporate only oneof the hanging portions 118, 122. Each of the hanging portions 118, 122have any number of protrusions which are capable of receiving andsupporting any number of hangable objects. The protrusions can also haveorientations other than those depicted in the exemplary figures. Forexample, a protrusion may extend toward a side of the mounting andpositioning bracket 104.

Referring now to FIG. 9, there is a perspective view of the hanger ofFIG. 7 in cross-section, illustrating the internal relationship betweenthe components of the hanger. The adjustable hanger 100 has a mountingand positioning bracket 104 primarily supported by at least one andpreferably two fastening members 114. As shown, the hanging andpositioning bracket 104 has an adjuster 106 threadably engaged to andpassing vertically through the hanging and positioning bracket 104.However, other features for the adjuster 106 previously discussed couldalso be adopted.

When applying the adjustable hanger 100 to a surface, a user can placethe fastening member 114 closer to the first end 101 of the hanging andpositioning bracket 104. While fully securing the adjustable hanger 100to the surface, initially installing only one fastening member 114allows the adjustable hanger 100 to be rotated around the fasteningmember 114 if contacted and limited slidable vertical movement. Thus, auser may support the hanging and positioning bracket 104 while using theadjuster 106 to make a fine point adjustment to the position of theadjustable hanger 100. The first end 105 of the adjuster 106 is rotatedto the left or right to translate the hanging and positioning bracket104 toward the first end 101 or second end 103 of the adjustable hanger100. The second end 107 of the adjuster 106 abuts the fastening member114. This position gives the support necessary to change the position ofthe hanging and positioning bracket 104 without moving other componentsof the hanger 100. Preferably, the fastening member 114 located closestto the second end 103 of the hanging and positioning bracket 104 securesthe adjustable hanger 100 in place. Both of the fastening members 114may then be tightened to prevent any movement whatsoever from occurringwith the hanger 100. The fastening members 114 could later be loosenedto allow further movement of the hanger 100, then retightened asdesired.

In some instances, a user may elect not to employ the adjuster 106 ofthe adjustable hanger 100 and instead make adjustments using line ofsight or measuring elements such as those previously described. In eachof the embodiments described above and others not expressly describedbut inherently taught, an adjustable hanger 100 having a low profilestructure is provided. This places the first hanging portion 118 at thesecond end 103 of the hanging and positioning bracket 104 furthest fromthe first end 101. Placing the hanging mechanism on the first hangingportion 118 allows the entire hanger to be hidden behind the hangableobject if so desired, which removes the need for unsightly hooks and thelike to be seen.

Referring now to FIG. 10, a perspective view of a kit including thecomponents of the hanger in accordance with a third embodiment of theinvention. As shown, the kit includes multiple mounting brackets,hanging and positioning brackets 104, and tools 130. Any number of setsof these elements are contemplated, and the sets may include lesscomponents. For instance, a tool need not be part of a set. In apreferred embodiment, the kit includes two or five sets of mountingbrackets 102 and hanging and positioning brackets 104, with one or twotools 130. Other embodiments may include any number of brackets andtools. The components may be manufactured, for example, from a singleinjection mold, or from any other known manufacturing method, in such away that they are frangibly connected. A user can then remove componentsat such connections.

The tool 130 can be used to manipulate the adjuster 106. An interfaceend 131 of the tool 130 is adapted to couple to the first end 105 of theadjuster 106. In the embodiment shown, the tool 130 has an allen wrenchconfiguration at the interface end 131, although other configurationsare also possible as long as the interface end 131 and first end 105 arecompatible. The tool 130 is also flexible to allow manipulation of theadjuster 106 against a vertical wall when the tool 130 and adjuster 106are not in complete axial alignment. As shown in FIG. 10, a flex portion132 of the tool 130 has a smaller diameter than that of the rest of thetool to allow the tool to flex in that region. Other techniques forproviding flexibility are also contemplated (e.g. having a tool with auniform diameter and having relief cuts in the flex portion). Of course,a tool could also be provided that does not have a flex portion, but hasan offset tool end to facilitate use close to a wall.

A user can grasp the tool 130 by the grip end 133 and insert theinterface end 131 through the aperture 128 and couple the interface end131 to the first end 105 of the adjuster 106. The user can then operatethe grip end 133 of the tool 130 to manipulate the adjuster 106, therebychanging the position of the hanging and positioning bracket 104relative to the mounting bracket 102.

The adjustable hangers shown in FIGS. 1-12 may comprise a number ofmaterials including but not limited to metals, plastics, resins,composites, rubbers, and fiber reinforced materials. Each of thecomponents may be independently made from the same or differentmaterials depending on the intended functionality and weight load theadjustable hanger 100 may bear. However, the adjustable hanger 100preferably comprises plastics including, but not limited to,polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), high-densitypolyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC),low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS),high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and polycarbonate (PC), or anycombination thereof and other not named acceptable plastics. If used,the composites may include but are not limited to fiber reinforcedplastics, metal composites, carbon fiber, and Kevlar® and the like.Metals, if used, may comprise a number of lightweight metals such asaluminum and other acceptable pure metals, as well as various alloyssuch as steel, brass, and pewter. Rubbers may include but are notlimited to natural rubber, SBR, Isoprene rubber, Butadiene rubber, and(poly)chloroprene rubber.

1. An adjustable hanger for positioning an object on a vertical surface,comprising: a mounting bracket having a first and second end, the firstend being above the second end when the mounting bracket is in avertical orientation; a positioning bracket adjustably connected to themounting bracket and having a hanger for hanging objects, thepositioning bracket being vertically adjustable with respect to themounting bracket such that the hanger extends above the first end of themounting bracket when the mounting bracket is in a vertical orientation.2. The adjustable hanger of claim 1, wherein the hanger is the uppermostpart of the adjustable hanger.
 3. The adjustable hanger of claim 2,further comprising a wire receiving seat on the hanger comprising atleast one wing and at least one protrusion extending from the wirereceiving seat to maintain a hanging mechanism in the wire receivingseat.
 4. The adjustable hanger of claim 1, further comprising a channelin the mounting bracket to receive the positioning bracket, and ablocking element at an end of the channel.
 5. The adjustable hanger ofclaim 4, further comprising an adjuster to change a position of thepositioning bracket relative to the mounting bracket in a verticaldirection up or down, wherein the adjuster abuts the blocking element.6. The adjustable hanger of claim 5, further comprising a flexible toolto manipulate the adjuster and a measuring element on at least one ofthe mounting bracket and positioning bracket.
 7. The adjustable hangerof claim 1, further comprising fastener openings in at least one of thetop half or bottom half of the length of the mounting bracket.
 8. Theadjustable hanger of claim 7, wherein the fastener openings extendthrough a channel in the mounting bracket.
 9. The adjustable hanger ofclaim 7, wherein at least one of the fastener openings are positionedbehind at least one of the vertical adjuster or positioning bracket. 10.An adjustable hanger for positioning an object on a vertical surface,comprising: a mounting bracket having a first and second end, the firstend being above the second end when the mounting bracket is in avertical orientation and an opening between the first and second end; ananchor extending through the opening into the vertical surface; apositioning bracket adjustably connected to the mounting bracket andhaving a hanger for hanging objects, the positioning bracket beingvertically adjustable with respect to the mounting bracket such that thehanger extends above the first end of the mounting bracket when themounting bracket is in a vertical orientation; an adjuster abutting theanchor to adjust the position of the positioning bracket with respect tothe mounting bracket.
 11. The adjustable hanger of claim 10, furthercomprising an anti-rotation member extending through a slot in thepositioning bracket into the vertical surface, wherein the slot is abovethe opening when the mounting bracket is in a vertical orientation. 12.The adjustable hanger of claim 11, wherein the positioning bracket isadjustable in a vertical direction after the anti-rotation member isinserted through the slot.
 13. The adjustable hanger of claim 10,further comprising an aperture in the hanger to provide access for atool to manipulate the adjuster.
 14. The adjustable hanger of claim 10,further comprising a collar on the anchor to support the adjuster. 15.The adjustable hanger of claim 10, wherein the hanger is the uppermostpart of the adjustable hanging device.
 16. A method of mounting anobject on a vertical surface, comprising: securing a mounting brackethaving a first and second end to a vertical surface, the first end beingabove the second end when the mounting bracket is in a verticalorientation; coupling a positioning bracket having a hanger for hangingobjects to the mounting bracket, the positioning bracket beingvertically adjustable with respect to the mounting bracket such that thehanger extends above the first end of the mounting bracket when themounting bracket is in a vertical orientation; and hanging an object onthe hanger.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein securing the mountingbracket to the vertical surface comprises employing a reusable adhesivestrip to secure the mounting bracket to the vertical surface andinserting a fastening member through the mounting bracket and into thevertical surface.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprisingremoving the mounting bracket and adhesive strip from the verticalsurface and re-attaching the mounting bracket and adhesive strip on thevertical surface at another position before insert the fastening memberthrough the mounting bracket.
 19. The method of claim 16, furthercomprising placing a hanging mechanism on a wire receiving seat of thepositioning bracket.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprisingmanipulating an adjuster with a tool to change the position of thepositioning bracket with respect to the mounting bracket in a horizontalor vertical direction.